The Power of Giving – at Convention and Beyond

By Katya Harris
As a newer staff member of SAF, I am struck by the giving nature of the SAF community. One might say it comes with the position; as Development Manager, I track the donations coming into SAF's various funds daily. However, the generosity I'm referring to goes beyond monetary contributions.

3 Questions for the Big Stage: A
Conversation with Plenary 3 Panelists

By Amy Juliana
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) has recently been gaining attention throughout the world. However, local indigenous communities and the knowledges they hold have been in existence and evolving since time immemorial. Panelists Dawn Blake, Dr. Serra Hoagland, and Nisogaabokwe Montano will discuss the cultural and ecological significance of fire on landscapes, indigenizing forest management, building inclusive collaborations with indigenous partners, and respecting and valuing indigenous knowledge.

Meet the 2023 Gregory Award
Recipient at SAF2023

By SAF National Staff
SAF is pleased to announce Karuna Karki as the 2023 SAF Gregory Award recipient. The Gregory Award commemorates the legacy of G. Robinson Gregory by bringing an outstanding international student or early-career professional to the annual SAF National Convention.

Technical Tours – Whetting Your Appetite for More!

By David Bakke
In designing the technical tours for this year’s convention, the planning committee was faced with a challenge: how do we present the entirety of California forestry in one visit? Our goal for the technical tours is to provide attendees with a snapshot of the beauties, challenges, people, and places that represent forestry in the Golden State.

Three Questions for the Big Stage: A Conversation with Panelists Tom Fox, James Lewis, and Linda Nagel

By Amy Juliana 
Panelists will tackle the question, “What is a forester,” and delve into how education, experience, and expectations have evolved over time, and how they continue to evolve to meet the challenges and opportunities of global change.

Working Group Members Highlight State-of-the-Art Forestry Innovation Through the Technical Program 

By James Westfall
A large number of technical sessions will be offered to attendees of the 2023 SAF National Convention. Topic areas are wide ranging, and essentially encompass all subjects relevant to the forestry profession, including silviculture, policy, recreation, biometrics, education, and economics. To better navigate the plethora of options, attendees may begin by identifying which broad themes are of primary interest and then examining the specific session topics therein.

Three Questions for the Big Stage: A Conversation with Kedren Dillard

By Amy Juliana 
This year's keynote speaker is Kedren Dillard, a fifth-generation forest landowner. In her plenary session, titled, “A Forest Legacy – The Past, Present and Future,” she will share her experience and ongoing journey of maintaining history while building for the future on her family’s farm in Southern Virginia.

Deep Dive into the Call for Proposals: Your Questions Answered! 

By Amy Juliana 
This year the call for proposals received over 450 submissions focused on twenty-four topics, six subthemes, and five tracts. But who submits to the call? Who reviews the proposals? And how is the schedule crafted? In this post we will break down these questions and more.

Kick Off the Week with A Pre-Convention Workshop

By James Westfall
The 2023 SAF National Convention will afford numerous opportunities to immerse in the latest research and technology advances, network with peers, and develop new job skills. Among the many options, attendees would be remiss to not consider participation in pre-convention technical workshops as part of their overall experience.

What Makes Up a Forester? 

By Marcella Windmuller-Campione
The 2023 Society of American Foresters (SAF) National Convention’s theme, Forestry: It’s in Our DNA, will be an opportunity for the many individuals and disciplines that are represented within SAF to come together to learn, share, and grow.

It's All About You

By Darnell Pinson
SAF National Conventions aren’t just about content (although the content offered is great), but they are also about the community and the people who attend them. No two SAF conventions are the same and each event is a unique experience. Let’s explore some of the reasons to attend convention as an SAF member, and if you’re not a member, how to join and unlock those convention-related benefits!

Why Present a Poster?

By Amy Juliana
The National Convention Poster Symposium is a great opportunity for presenters in all stages of their careers to connect their work to conference attendees. Whether you are a student presenting your research for the first time, or a seasoned professional spotlighting a program or case study, a poster presentation offers attendees the opportunity to interact one-on-one with professionals, engage with their content, and receive feedback.

Top 3 Reasons to Sponsor at the SAF National Convention

By Lindsey Shrout
Maximize your exposure, capitalize on SAF’s industry recognition, and make an emotional connection with your target audience through sponsorship. Sponsorship provides premium access through a strategic and targeted approach. Curious to learn more about how sponsorships can benefit your company? Read below from three companies on why they continue to partner with SAF at our National Convention!

There's More than Just the Swag!

By Jeremy Douse
SAF has changed over the years and, as a result, the convention has changed with it. I am a mid- career (maybe late mid-career) forester and when I first started attending SAF’s national convention, all you had was a booklet of the agenda and a map of the convention space.

The Many Benefits of SAF’s National Convention

By Marcella Windmuller-Campione
During my junior year of college, I discovered my passion – silviculture – and was immediately hooked. I started thinking about attending graduate school and, at the time, had the naïve idea that being a professor would be cool. However, I was unaware of the steps required, or how much work and sometimes luck landing a tenure track job entailed.

What Are You Waiting For? Present at SAF2023

By Callie Schweitzer
Use social marketing to showcase you and your amazing forestry work! Build camaraderie through interactive communities! Using various techniques, we resolved challenges! Okay, I am trying to get your attention, hope those exclamation phrases helped. Sometimes (well, maybe more than sometimes), we get so caught up in our own work that we forget that others may not have an inkling about what do, the challenges we face in our own systems, or how we observe and discover changes in practices or attitudes. If you’re stunned by this, then this blog is for you.

Get Excited for Tree'via and Quiz Bowl
By Calvin Norman

With the summer starting to fade away and acorns ripening, there’s a unique aroma in the air that every forester can smell – national forestry-based trivia competitions! The Quiz Bowl Planning Team has been hard at work making sure that this year’s Quiz Bowl at the 2023 SAF National Convention will be both fun and challenging for teams of students across the country! 

Seeking Continuing Education Credit at Convention? Keep These Tips in Mind

By Amy Juliana

If you are seeking continuing education this year, keep the following tips in mind for easy tracking, organizing, and fast submission process:

What's in "Store" for SAF2023: Exclusive SWAG and More! 

By SAF National Staff

While the highlight of SAF National Convention is the science and technical program (and this year we’ll have over 350 presenters!), a nice perk of attending convention in-person is the convention-only SWAG! And this year we are also offering exclusive, limited-edition, convention-only items for sale in the Expo Hall at the SAF Store, Silent Auction, and SAF Hub.